Laura Mendez’s experience began in August 2017. At twenty-seven, she lived in Los Angeles, California, feeling alive with her boyfriend, Art. She had just graduated with her liberal arts degree and would take a year off prior to pursuing her master’s. Life felt stable and optimistic, like everything finally was falling into place. Laura and Art were together for a year and a half, secure in their relationship, and deeply in love. Children were not part of this plan-not yet. Birth control had always been a challenge for Laura. A hormonal imbalance meant most contraceptives caused extreme weight gain. So she considered all her options and chose the copper IUD. It was hormone-free and effective for ten years. Responsible. Reliable.
The insertion process was much harder than anticipated. It was hard to find a doctor willing to do the procedure; Laura went to Planned Parenthood. It hurt so much. The cramps were some of the worst she had ever had. They were extreme enough that Art begged her to have it taken out. Laura refused. She was going to make sure it worked. After an extended period and weeks of discomfort, her body finally acclimated. Then, September 2nd changed everything.
Laura was getting ready to go to a John Williams concert when she noticed something odd in the shower: The string of her IUD seemed longer than usual. She called Planned Parenthood and made an appointment. They reassured her everything was fine: The IUD hadn’t moved; the string was just long. This was reaffirmed some months later during a Pap smear with her gynecologist, and Laura put the concern behind her.
It was Laura’s mother who noticed the change in early November. As Laura ran up the front steps of their home, she mentioned how much her breasts hurt. Her mother asked if she could be pregnant. Laura laughed it off. She had an IUD-there was no way. Still, the thought lingered. Soon after, she realized she hadn’t had her period in over a month. Laura informed Art, and together they purchased a pregnancy test. They did not even wait thirty seconds. It was positive. It was an immediate shock.
Planned Parenthood couldn’t see her that day, so they bought additional tests. Every one showed the same thing. Laura was pregnant. What followed was deeply unsettling. During her confirmation appointment, the nurse laughed as Laura explained the purpose of her visit, insisting it was impossible that she be pregnant. The tone was dismissive, until two negative tests popped on Laura’s records, taken upon IUD insertion and follow-up. Only then did the laughter cease. She was told to wait while the IUD was removed. Two hours later, she was informed that no one at the clinic would do it-as removal could cause a miscarriage or severe bleeding.
Her family doctor referred her back to the gynecologist, who then became her OBGYN. On November 22, Laura was told she needed a specialized ultrasound; it never came because of a wait for insurance authorization. Calls went unreturned. Paperwork was never filed. When she followed up several times, she found the request was never submitted. Laura finally saw a specialist on December 27. By then she had started spotting.
The ultrasound revealed the truth: the IUD had moved and rested within her vaginal canal. Its removal was uncomplicated and in no way threatened the baby. This was a huge sigh of relief after weeks of living in fear. Laura had been warned not to bond with him. She lived with unresolved uncertainty, preparing for the worst. Prenatal care did not improve. Appointments were either rushed or canceled. At twenty weeks, her doctor mentioned that he hadn’t thought the pregnancy would have lasted this long. Persistent pelvic pain was left unexplained until a visit to the hospital determined round ligament pain. Many of Laura’s questions remained unanswered. Laura shares her story not out of anger for what has happened to her, but out of love for her son and in grief for the experience she never fully had.
Instead of celebration, there was fear. Instead of joy, there was silence. Instead of information from doctors, it came from Google. She remained with the same provider because switching doctors felt like one more risk she could not afford to take. Laura would never change having her son-he is her greatest blessing. Her experience is not one of regret, but of resilience, and of a mother who knows she deserved better.
